The White House in the United States has approved the proposal to include cryptocurrency in 401(k) retirement plans for review

BlockBeats News, March 26, according to Cointelegraph, the U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) at the White House completed its review of a proposal from the Department of Labor (DOL) on March 24. The proposal involves allowing 401(k) trustees to include alternative assets (including digital assets) in the evaluation scope of retirement plans. OIRA labeled the conclusion of this review as "change passed" and categorized the proposal as "economically significant." The Department of Labor is expected to release a proposed rule next, initiating a 60-day public comment period, followed by the usual process of revising and issuing the final rule.

This review completion is a follow-up advancement to Trump's executive order on August 7, 2025. The executive order required federal agencies to expand access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans, including gaining exposure to digital assets through specific investment tools. It also instructed the Labor Department to reassess regulations restricting private equity, real estate, and digital assets from entering defined contribution plans, while directing the Treasury Department to collaborate with the SEC to support rule revisions.

In May 2025, the Labor Department revoked a 2022 compliance guideline from the Biden era that required trustees to be "extremely cautious" when including cryptocurrency in 401(k) plans, signaling a fundamental shift in the federal government's attitude towards incorporating digital assets into retirement plans.

According to the Investment Company Institute, as of September 30, 2025, the total financial assets in the U.S. retirement market have reached a record $48.1 trillion. In addition, the Indiana state legislature passed a bill on February 25, requiring certain state retirement and savings plans to offer at least one cryptocurrency investment option by July 1, 2027.